


Metamorphosis

by YureiYume



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: First Kiss, Fluff, M/M, SHEITH - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-27
Updated: 2018-07-27
Packaged: 2019-06-16 22:20:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,577
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15447099
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YureiYume/pseuds/YureiYume
Summary: “Keith… I died. Idied. And during my time in the other plane, do you know what killed me the most? It wasn’t regretting the things I had done in life, it was regretting the things I hadn’t done. So, I’m just going to put this out there and you can reject what I say altogether, but I just need you to know.”





	Metamorphosis

There’s a knock at the door that would have woken him if he had been sleeping— his first instinct is to grab the Galran sword under his pillow, but then he remembers where he is: he’s on Earth again where Zarkon has long been defeated and recently, so has Lotor. It’s been years since he’s felt this way, but for the time being, he’s actually safe.

Adrenaline driving him forward, he  switches on the small lamp by his bed and walks towards the door, opening it to see Shiro standing there, one sleeve dangling emptily. 

“Hey… you okay?”

Shiro looks visibly troubled by something, bags under his eyes, brows drawn up just enough to let Keith know something was up.

“Did I wake you? I know it’s late, but I was hoping we could talk.”

Anxiety sits heavily in Keith’s gut, working a slow grind of heat up towards his chest.  

“No, it’s okay. Come in.”

Shiro enters, carrying himself as he always did even without his right arm. It must be strange to suddenly not have it, even though it must have also been strange for Shiro to one day wake up with a metal Galran arm too. He closes the door behind Shiro, leading him over to his bed where they both take a seat.

“So, what’s going on?” Keith is tense, bracing himself for the worst.

Shiro takes a breath and lets it out, clearly having trouble finding the words, “I’m not sure where to start. It’s just… a lot has happened. This feels so surreal. Being here, I mean. Being alive again. Getting to be with the team again. Hell, even coming back to Earth. I just…,” he sighed again, shaking his head.

Keith’s expression softened, placing a hand on Shiro’s back. The anxiety from before was dissolving into empathy and concern. “Hey. It’s okay. Whatever’s bothering you, you can tell me.” A lot really had happened, especially to Shiro. He couldn’t even begin to understand how he felt on his end. How had it been for him to be alone all that time inside that other plane of existence, not knowing if he’d ever make it out?

Shiro looked up to meet his eyes, “It’s just, now that I’m back, it doesn’t even seem real. I mean, I know that it is—I know I’m finally back, but it’s hard to believe. I lost all of you for so long and it made me realize just how much you all mean to me. It really put things in perspective that I could lose any of you at any moment, and I don’t want that to happen. Not again.”

This was the most vulnerable Keith had ever seen Shiro, suddenly feeling hollow and helpless for not knowing the right words to say. What could he possibly even say? That he wouldn’t lose them? With their position as paladins, they could lose each other at any moment and that was a thought he’d leep to himself. Shiro obviously knew that. He knew it better than anyone.

It was hurting him to see Shiro this way, bringing up his own pain at the knowledge that Shiro had actually died, that the Shiro he knew and loved had actually been trapped the entire time, unbeknownst to him. It made him angry at himself for not knowing, for not figuring it out. He lowered his hand from Shiro’s back and buried his nails in his palm, his eyes stinging with the threat of tears.

His hand finds its way to Shiro’s shoulder, giving it a squeeze, “You won’t lose us. I won’t let that happen. You’re here with us again and I won’t let you go. None of us will.”

Shiro smiles again, a real smile this time, small, but grateful for Keith’s words. “I know. You were the one that found me.”

“And I’d do it a thousand times over if I had to,” his voice is filled with resolution.

Shiro chuckles. “I’m proud of you, Keith. You’ve really come into your own. Not only as the great Black Paladin I always knew you’d be, but as a man.”

Keith pulls his hand away to place both hands on his thighs, feeling bashful and humbled by Shiro’s words. “Thank you, Shiro… That means a lot.” There’s a softness to his voice he’s unfamiliar with.

Shiro clears his throat before adding, “And um considering that I have this second chance to do things differently, there’s something else I wanted to tell you.”

Keith raises a brow.

“I know that since I started looking after you at the Garrison, we’ve practically been like brothers, but after everything we’ve been through in space, with Voltron, and with the experience I had, I don’t think I could ever find someone else to understand me in the way that you do. No one else knows just exactly everything we’ve been through together, and no one has fought harder for me than you.”

Keith wasn’t entirely sure where this was going, but it almost sounded like a confession of sorts. His lips parted, waves of anxiety rippling through his stomach again as he waited for the rest of what Shiro had to say.

“Keith… I died. I  _died_. And during my time in the other plane, do you know what killed me the most? It wasn’t regretting the things I had done in life, it was regretting the things I _hadn’t_  done. So, I’m just going to put this out there and you can reject what I say altogether, but I just need you to know.”

Keith swallowed, his mouth suddenly feeling dry, his breath caught in his throat.

“Keith,” Shiro paused a moment, confliction marking his expression, “I  _love_  you. And not as your caretaker or older brother, but as one man to another.”

Keith’s brows scrunch together. He had always regarded Shiro as the brother he never had. Then again, he had no choice but to see him as just that. Aside from their age difference, one that didn’t matter anymore, Shiro had been committed to someone for years.

“You don’t have to give me an answer right away– you don’t have to say anything at all–  but I wanted to tell you. I didn’t want to regret not telling you how I really feel. You mean a lot to me, Keith. Now you know how much.”

“What about Adam?” Keith inquired, more confused than anything else.

Shiro locked eyes with him, giving him a loving smile that resulted in a feeling that took hold of Keith and felt like a vice grip in his chest. “I already talked to him about it. He gave me an ultimatum: him or Voltron. I couldn’t be with someone who makes me choose over him or the fate of the universe, but even without that, after everything we’ve been through, my feelings for you transformed into something more than what I felt for Adam.”

Keith looked down at his hands, unsure of what to say. Could he see himself with Shiro as more than just a brother? Had he possibly had feelings for Shiro all along that he just couldn’t admit to himself?

Shiro let out a large exhale, “Well. I better go. Thanks for listening to me, Keith. And sorry if I made you uncomfortable.” As Shiro stood up to leave, Keith reached out to grab him by the hand.

“Wait.”

Shiro looked down at Keith’s hand first, then at him.

“You’re right– I also feel the same: No one could replace you and no one could understand me the way you do. You’ve never doubted me, not once, even when I was a little shit. I don’t want to lose what we have, Shiro. I never want to lose you again.”

This entire situation was overwhelming. After everything they’d been through, he felt like his insides had been rubbed raw.

“Hey.” Shiro’s thumb brushed over Keith’s knuckles, voice low and comforting. He sat back down on the bed, a little closer this time so that their thighs touched. “We don’t have to rush into anything. You won’t lose me even if you choose to remain as we are. I’ll always be here for you, Keith. Nothing will change that.”

Shiro continued gently rubbing Keith’s knuckles, a simple action, but it was the most intimate they’d ever been. “I know… I know that. I’m just— I want to try.” He met Shiro’s gaze, determination trying to mask the insecurity. “I haven’t thought about you this way before, but I’ll never know if we don’t try. I don’t want to regret anything either.”

Shiro takes a moment before leaning in closer, nose almost touching Keith’s. His voice is low and sends a jolt through Keith’s spine, “Is this okay?” Keith can feel himself holding a breath again, heart thumping harshly against his neck. He’s certain Shiro can feel it against the hand he’s holding.

Unable to form words, Keith licks his bottom lip, biting on it first before nodding. Keith hesitantly moves forward as his eyes close slowly, meeting Shiro halfway. 

Shiro’s lips are softer than he had expected, their warmth leaving a pleasant sensation that works its way through him. It’s chaste, but lasts long enough to spread heat through Keith’s cheeks and the fingers still in Shiro’s hand.

When they part, Keith pulls Shiro into a tight embrace, grateful for the second chance the universe had given them.

“Welcome home, Shiro.”

**Author's Note:**

> I'm back from my writing hiatus with some fluffy Sheith trash.  
> Voltron has taken over my life.


End file.
